Several Central Asian countries rank among the world’s highest consumers of water per person, according to data compiled by the Worldometer portal. The figures, based on statistics from UN agencies including UNESCO and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), place Turkmenistan first globally
As Managing Editor of The Times of Central Asia , I’m delighted that, in partnership with the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs , from October 19, we are the home of the Spotlight on Central Asia podcast. Chaired by seasoned broadcasters Bruce Pannier of RFE/RL’s long-running Majlis podcast and
Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) are holding an informal summit in the city of Turkistan, focused on artificial intelligence, digitalization, and economic integration, as Central Asia gains importance as an alternative trade corridor between Europe and China. The meeting brings tog
Mutual trade between Central Asian countries reached $12.3 billion in 2025, nearly doubling compared to 2020, according to analysts at the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB). The figure underlines how Central Asia is increasingly emerging as a more interconnected regional market after years of relative
Payments to World War II veterans ahead of Victory Day continue to vary significantly across Central Asia, with Turkmenistan offering one of the lowest levels of support in the region. At a government meeting on April 24, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, discussing traditional commemorative events f
China does not do military alliances. Its declared posture is one of non-interference in other nations’ internal affairs. Yet Beijing has long understood that commercial ties alone cannot anchor strategic relationships; only security partnerships can. China’s recent experiments with 2+2 security dia
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum , from April 17 to 19, brought together heads of state, foreign ministers, and senior officials at a tense moment in international politics. The official theme, “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties,” reflected the backdrop: war in the Middle East, pressure on trade,
Tajikistan has nearly halved its undernourishment rate over the past decade, but food insecurity and access to healthy diets remain major challenges for a significant share of the population, according to a new regional report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The
A top official of the Collective Security Treaty Organization , an alliance of some post-Soviet states, says its main challenge in Central Asia continues to be the threat emanating from militants i n Afghanistan’s northern border region. Viktor Vasilyev , c hairman of the alliance’s Permanent Counci
Central Asia’s water politics are moving beyond Soviet-era quotas. As glaciers in the Tien Shan retreat and climate pressure increases, river management has become a question of energy security, food production, and regional stability. The Soviet-era system of river-water allocation has reached its
As global leaders gather for the Global Environment Facility ( GEF ) Assembly in Samarkand, Central Asia has an opportunity to send a clear message to the world: protecting biodiversity is not only about saving species — it is about securing water, livelihoods, resilience and long-term stability for
Central Asia could face unusually heavy rainfall during the summer of 2026 as the climate phenomenon known as El Niño is expected to return in the coming months, according to forecasts from the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO estimates there is an 80% chance that El
Tajikistan and Pakistan have agreed to deepen trade and economic cooperation following the eighth meeting of their Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation in Dushanbe. The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol outlining measures to expand bilateral coope
Tajikistan is positioning renewable energy and regional electricity trade as central to its long-term economic strategy, as Dushanbe seeks to build on its hydropower base while reducing exposure to climate- and seasonal-supply risks. The message was delivered by Deputy Minister of Energy and Water R
The Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action, “ Water for Sustainable Development ,“ taking place in Dushanbe on May 25-28, comes at a difficult moment. Central Asia’s water problem is no longer only about environmental management; it is moving into the field
Conference-related events began in Dushanbe on Monday, May 25, as Tajikistan hosts the Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development,” 2018-2028 . The week gives Tajikistan a fresh stage for a role it has built for years: using w
The European Union has removed three financial institutions in Tajikistan from its sanctions list. The decision was adopted on April 23, as part of the EU’s 20th sanctions package, according to the National Bank of Tajikistan. The move concerns Spitamen Bank, Dushanbe City Bank, and Commercebank of
The Regional Ecological Summit 2026 will take place in Astana on April 22-24. The event is intended to elevate Central Asia’s water and environmental agenda to the level of systemic solutions. Alongside preparations for the summit, however, an increasingly alarmist narrative is gaining traction amon
In most Central Asian countries, checking the average salary is as simple as visiting the national statistics agency’s website. In Turkmenistan, however, wage data remain largely inaccessible. The State Statistics Committee does not publish salary figures online, and its annual statistical yearbooks
Весной этого года во двор одного из домов в Худжанде упал белый аист. Позже выяснилось, что семья приютила не просто раненую птицу, а представителя редкого вида, занесенного в Красную книгу Таджикистана. Запутавшись в леске от воздушного змея, аист получил серьезные травмы обоих крыльев и уже не мог
